5 Fast Brunch Recipes To Use Up Those Christmas Leftovers

The holidays can be a lot. Our entertaining strategy? Cook extra and transform the leftovers. By adding fresh herbs and  switching up the textures, you can turn last night’s dinner into an entirely original Boxing Day brunch. Here's five recipes to get you started.

Cranberry Gin Smash

Adding a spoonful of jam is an easy way to make a flavour base for a cocktail, and cranberry sauce ticks that same box. If your sauce is super chunky, you can chop it up—by hand or with a food processor—before using. Get this gin smash recipe.

Soft and Tangy Cheese Spread

The leftover nubs of cheese from entertaining may not be pretty, but they are still delicious. You can give them new life by turning them into a Boursin-like spread. A mixture of medium-firm cheeses works best. Don’t leave out the vermouth, as it helps meld the flavours together. This makes more than you need for a single gathering, but it will keep in the fridge if tightly covered for at least two weeks—and is also excellent on sandwiches. Get this cheese spread recipe.

Herbed Potato Croquettes

These light bites are a great way to use up extra mashed potatoes. The crisp outer crust is perfect for holding together potatoes mixed with fresh green herbs and kicky jalapeno. Serve them with a flavourful two-ingredient dip. Get this potato croquettes recipe.

Curried Turkey Pot Pie

A fragrant pot pie made with ginger and curry is cozy in all the right ways. If you have gravy, you can use it as part of the filling. You can use leftover green beans or hearty greens or start with fresh—just don’t use raw spinach, as the extra water will thin out your sauce. Get this turkey pot pie recipe.

Pumpkin Brown Butter Blondies

It would be great if canned pumpkin were sold in just the right amount to make a pie. But since it isn’t, these blondies are a delicious way to use up the rest. The ribbon of pumpkin butter makes them addictively good. Get this pumpkin brown butter blondies recipe.

Recipes and Food Styling by Eshun Mott. Produced by Sun Ngo. Photography by Carmen Cheung. Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.